The Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) released results of the Employment Survey for the third quarter of 2011, of which principal indicators such as the labour force participation rate (72.5%) and unemployment rate (2.6%) were published in October. Total labour force was 344,000 in the third quarter of 2011, comprising 335,000 employed and 8,900 unemployed. Compared with the second quarter of 2011, both the labour force and number of employed registered an increase of 6,200; meanwhile, number of unemployed held stable as the previous quarter. Analyzed by industry, the majority of the employed were engaging in Recreational, Cultural, Gaming & Other Services (24.7%), and Wholesale & Retail Trade (13.9%). In terms of occupation, Clerks (including croupiers, floorpersons, betting service operators, etc.) and Service & Sales Workers accounted for 26.9% and 23.6% of the total respectively. Median monthly employment earnings of the employed stood at MOP10,000 in the third quarter of 2011, and that of local residents amounted to MOP11,000, up by MOP400 and MOP1,000 respectively quarter-to-quarter. Number of the underemployed totalled 3,600, with the majority (72.7%) working in Construction and 9.0% in Transport, Storage & Communications. In respect of the unemployed, 83.4% were searching for a new job and 16.6% were fresh labour force entrants searching for their first job. With regard to educational attainment, 23.6% had primary education or lower, 32.6% had junior secondary education and 23.6% had senior secondary education. For the unemployed that were searching for a new job, analyzed by industry previously engaged, 20.7% had worked in Recreational, Cultural, Gaming & Other Services and 17.8% in Construction. Analyzed by previous occupation, 26.6% were Clerks and 25.0% were Service & Sales Workers.
